Specialist Nurse Learning Disabilities and Autism

Job content

To ensure high professional standards of nursing practice in accordance with the NMC code of Conduct. Actively promote the role of the specialist nurse role within the acute trust ensuring such information is also accessible to people with a learning disability and their carers. Identify barriers to accessing acute health care services, for adults with a learning disability and autism, and plan actions and initiatives to overcome and assist easier access to the acute services. To raise the profile of the health care needs of people with a learning disability across secondary care provision.

Develop closer links between primary healthcare services and secondary care in order to help facilitate a smooth pathway through acute services. This is to enable continuity for patients and their families/support workers when accessing both elective and emergency treatment. Planning effective care whilst in hospital, and then assist with comprehensive discharge/aftercare arrangements for adult patients with a learning disability. To bridge the gap between learning disability and secondary services to enable better communication and access to healthcare for people with learning disabilities.

To facilitate the meeting of individual healthcare needs for people with complex needs. Work with the Integrated Learning Disability Teams to ensure effective health facilitation and a smoother pathway from primary care into secondary care. To work in partnership with people with learning disabilities, self-advocacy group, PALS and carers groups in the development, implementation and maintenance of service provision. To develop and maintain networking and liaison with partners in primary, community and learning disability services.

To be an active member of North East and Cumbria learning disability network, and LeDeR assurance panels (Learning from lives and deaths of people with a learning disability and people with autism), produce regular reports as required. To assist in providing information so that the health needs of people with learning disabilities are reflected within Trust priorities. To assist in the development of local strategies and minimum standards for working with people with learning disabilities when in hospital. To attend meetings relevant to the role as agreed with the Lead Nurse for learning disabilities.

Develop the design and development of training packages. To coordinate and assist in the delivery of training to meet identified needs specifically to ensure that colleagues within CDDFT are aware of and able to meet the needs of people with a learning disability. Facilitate work based learning opportunities such as working with teams on bespoke sessions to meet specific needs of staff. Develop comprehensive training packages and initiatives for all staff disciplines.

Contribute to the overall evaluation of training initiatives, ensuring that the evaluation code of practice is applied. Ensure staff are aware of training and development opportunities open to them using communications links in the Trust. Observes personal duty of care in relation to physical and financial resources. Work to Trust policies and procedures.

To use the IT systems and facilities effectively.